NextGen finals getting closer: Stricker waves big money after Basel coup

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The St. Jakobshalle in Basel shakes: Dominic Stricker (21) removes the surprise and throws Casper Ruud (24), number two in the Swiss Indoors and number eight in the world, out of the tournament 6:4, 3:6, 7 :6. Over long distances, “Domi” supports the Norwegian flawlessly, powerfully and with the right degree of certainty. After Stefanos Tsitsipas (25) at the US Open, it is the second victory against a top 10 player this year.

A coup that in many ways is worth gold for the man from Gross Höchstetten BE. By reaching the quarter-finals he scores at least 90 points in Basel, twice as many as last year. This keeps him in the top 100, an important figure for every tennis player.

But these 90 points are much more important in the race for the NextGen final. At the tournament, which takes place this year in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), the best eight players under 21 compete. Thanks to the win over Ruud, Stricker has both Flavio Cobolli (21; It, 610 points) and Luca Van Assche (19 ; Fri, 641 points) and is currently in 6th place with 666 points. The opportunities to participate have increased enormously.

Virtual place 4 in the NextGen ranking

What also benefits Stricker: it is unlikely that the top duo in the NextGen rankings will participate in the final. Leader Carlos Alcaraz (20; ATP 2, 8445 points) will compete in a practice fight against the American Tommy Paul (26) on November 29 in Mexico – exactly in the week of the finals (November 28 to December 2). This means that the Spaniard will most likely not play in the Arabian Peninsula.

Holger Rune is well behind him (3145 points). The 20-year-old Dane, who starts this week in Basel as the top seed, is also competing for a place in the ATP final. He is currently in 8th place and has the last ticket for Turin (November 13 to 20). If he gets his hands on this one, it would not be surprising if the protégé of Boris Becker (55) ends his season afterwards. If you exclude the two top 10 players, Stricker would be fourth in the NextGen rankings.

Great financial injection when participating in the final

The Saudi tournament would earn the 21-year-old a hefty fee. You will receive $150,000 for your participation alone. With the prize money in Basel (at least $57,000), his total income would increase to more than $770,000 in 2023 – excluding other potential prize money.

He would have collected almost twice as much as last season ($401,000). And the money he would get in Saudi Arabia would be welcome in the Stricker camp, as his father Stephan reveals: “For example, we would have the opportunity to take a physiotherapist with us on tour more often.” Instead of just 10 to 15 weeks, you would receive 20 to 25 weeks of medical support, which makes “a huge difference.”

The current number 96 in the world would be present at the NextGen Finals for the second time. Last year, Stricker played his way to the semi-finals with three wins in the group stage. Ultimately, he received a check for approximately $166,000.

Source : Blick